Set Apart This Dream
by LoveInTechnicolor
Summary: Santana has spent most of her high school career fighting the losing battle of separating herself from the feelings she has for her best friend. One ordinary night, however, transforms into a world that shows her the life she's secretly always wanted, giving her a first hand look into the future she could have if she were to just embrace all that she is. #Brittanas1stYear One-Shot.


Another night. Another party. That is how Santana Lopez spent most of her Junior year, getting drunk while doing her best to forget the perceptive blue eyes that kept her up at night. To not fall even further for the girl with the unconventionally brilliant mind. To look past how she was almost effortlessly comfortable in her own skin. To suppress the feelings she had for her, Brittany Susan Pierce. Santana's best friend.

"Ha! Beat that, Santana!" she heard a gruff voice challenge as a bottle of Fireball was shoved into her face, about a fifth of the bottle's amber liquid still left. Trying her best to regain her bearings after being broken out of her thoughts, Santana looked past the glass container to find Noah Puckerman standing there with a shit eating grin spread across his face.

"W-What?"

"It's your turn! We're seeing who can chug the longest without stopping. Brittany, Anthony, and I have already gone, so you're up," Puck explained as he shook the bottle a little, trying to entice her into take it from him.

Reaching up, the girl pushed the bottle back towards the boy and gave a slight shake of her head, simply replying, "Nah, I'm good."

"Aw, come on, ya damn scaredy cat! Don't be such a wuss!" Aizimo Adams suddenly jeered from where all the other football players were idly watching, which instantly got her blood boiling.

"Screw you, Asshole! I'm not afraid of anything!" Santana spat through gritted teeth as she reached out to take the bottle from Puck, only to have Brittany snatch it from him first. The blonde then quickly brought the bottle to her lips and downed the rest of the bottle before slammed it down on the table, causing the entire room to erupt with cheers.

* * *

The pair stumbled their way into the Lopez residence a couple hours later with Brittany's arm thrown over Santana's shoulder, the smaller girl's legs shakily fighting to keep them both upright since Brittany was unable to stand on her own. Shutting the front door with her foot, Santana readjusted her grip on her friend and quietly chided, "Britt, you really shouldn't have done that, especially after all those tequila shots we took when we first got there."

"Yeah, but if I didn' drink it, then you would've. I didn' wan' you to be forced into somethin' you didn' wan' to do," the other girl slurred in response, causing a small chuckle to slip past Santana's lips.

"Always have to be the chivalrous lady knight in shining armor, don't you?"

"For you, always. Now, can I brush my teeth an' go to bed?"

"Of course, Britt-Britt. Let's get you upstairs, and I'll go grab your toothbrush," Santana negotiated as she mentally prepared herself to help her friend up the stairs.

Once Brittany's teeth were clean and she was tucked comfortably in bed, Santana left to retrieve the small garbage can she kept by her desk and brought it over to the blonde's side in case she got sick again in the middle of night, though she was fairly certain her friend had already gotten most of it out of her system at the party. Taking a moment to make sure Brittany was okay, she then took her turn brushing her teeth before flicking off the lights and sliding in on the opposite side of the bed from where the other girl slept. There she laid for a long while, not moving or thinking. Just simply watching the Brittany's sleeping form. Even with her tiny drunken snores, she was the most beautiful person Santana had ever seen.

"Britt, I know you can't really hear me right now, but I've got something to tell you," she suddenly whispered, breaking the room's quiet ambiance as she prepared herself to admit the thoughts she had been suppressing for months. "I, uh-I lied tonight when I told Aizimo I wasn't afraid of anything. The truth is that I actually have a lot of things I'm afraid of. These feelings that I have for you. How the world will perceive me for having them. If my parents will accept me. If my abuela will shun me." She impulsively reached out towards Brittany but stopped herself just before her fingertips touched soft skin, her lips fulling into a small frown as she added, "If I'll got through it all just to be left alone in the end."

Santana was then forced to give a brief pause when Brittany suddenly started grumbling in her sleep. She patiently waited as she watched the girl lazily rub at her nose with the back of her hand, only daring to continue once she knew Brittany was fast asleep once more. The quiet, airy snores returning. The brunette couldn't help but smile at the moment before feeling it slowly melt away into sadness. Taking a deep breathe, she continued.

"I want so much for us to be together, and I would give _anything_ to be able to do that," she told the sleeping girl in earnest, finding the confidence to smooth out a few stray blonde hairs ever so gently before slowly tucking the hand against her chest. "But I can't. I don't know how. I'm just _so_ afraid. God, I am absolutely terrified of what would come of the world knowing about these secrets I keep hidden away, and the only thing that I've encountered that I fear more than that is, is losing you. Britt, I absolutely cannot lose you, but at the same time, I don't know how to hold onto you. To shield and protect you from having to ever experience all these things I'm afraid of without being consumed by them myself. The only way I know how to do that is by keeping us apart and acting indifferent, but I'm not. I swear I'm not because I love you so much, Brittany. More than I even know what to do with, and I just hope someday I have the courage to actually say it to you."

Letting out a sigh, she took one last longing look at the girl and whispered out a quiet, "Good night, Britt-Britt," before rolling over, wishing nothing more than to be able to fall asleep in her best friend's arms.

* * *

Santana opened her eyes only to clamp them tightly shut once more, trying her best to block out the bright morning light that instantly blinded her. Feeling the need to cover her sensitive eyes further, she quickly made an attempt to pick up her hand only to find that it was being weighted down by some unknown object. Santana's eyes carefully blinked open at the realization, and she slowly glanced down to find long fingers threaded between her own.

Feeling her entire body tense, Santana slowly trailed her gaze up the arm wrapped around her waist until she was rolled over and staring at the person in question. There, sleeping with the most peaceful look on her face, was none other than Brittany S. Pierce.

"Holy shit!" Santana immediately whisper-yelled as she scrambled out of her arms and over to the far end of the bed, causing the slumbering blonde to stir. Taking in the room for the first time, she realized they were no longer in her bedroom. Instead, the room was the exact opposite, with light tan walls and white floral print curtains that matched the comforter and sheets caught in her grasp as she held on for dear life.

"What's wrong, Babe? You look like you just saw a ghost," she heard Brittany groggily hum out and looked over to find the blonde staring back with a questioning look while she tiredly wiped the sleep out of her eyes. That's when she noticed the ring adorning the woman's left ring finger. Hastily shifting her focus to her own left hand, she found a similar ring on the same digit and almost screamed when she realized these were no ordinary rings. They were _wedding_ _rings._

"I _have_ to be dreaming. Here, pinch me. Or better yet, slap the crap out of me! Right here! Lay it on me!" Santana demanded as she leaned in towards a confused Brittany and lightly patted the side of her face with her hand, showing her exactly where to hit. She then clenched her eyes, waiting for a sharp sting to erupt across her cheek, but the pain never came. Instead, there was the sensation of soft lips brushing her cheek that caused her eyes to burst open, the skin still tingling as she brought her fingertips to trace over the spot. "Th-That wasn't a slap," the brunette noted dumbly as she shifted her focus up to meet Brittany's loving gaze.

"Yeah, that's because I'm not going to slap my wife, you silly girl."

 _Wife._ Santana felt her heart start thudding against her chest at the blonde referring to her by that term, distracting her enough to almost miss the fact that the woman in question was leaning in to give her a good morning kiss. Just as their lips were about to meet, however, they heard the soft pattering of feet coming from outside door, causing Brittany to abruptly pull away with a small pout. Suddenly, two little girls come busting into the room, followed by Lord Tubbington.

"Mama, Mami! Can we have Lucky Charms for breakfast?" the smaller of the two asked excitedly as she started jumping up and down at the foot of the bed, her dark brown hair carelessly flopping back in forth as she moved her tiny body with great excitement.

"Yeah, can we?" the older child inquired in a slightly calmer but still hopeful tone. Her familiar blue eyes were avidly trained on Santana, awaiting an answer. Unsure of what to do, Santana slowly glanced over to her apparent _wife_ sitting beside her with wide, frightened eyes, silently begging the woman to save her from the situation she had suddenly found herself in, and watched as the corners of Brittany's lips pulled back into a small grin.

"Sure thing, girls! You two go downstairs and wait for Mami and I while we have a quick talk, okay?"

"Yay!" they excitedly cheered as the dashed back out of the room, followed once again by Brittany's overweight cat.

There was a long moment of silence that passed between the two as Santana stared at the doorway the kids had just exited though, doing her best to fully grasp everything that had happened to her since waking up. Finally finding her voice, she shakily asked, "A-Are those our-?"

"Our kids? Yes. The little one is Sara, and the oldest is Val."

"Oh, God. Please tell me Val isn't short for Valarie, as in the song _Valarie_ ," Santana begged before watching a knowing smirk pull at Brittany's lips.

"It is, and Sara's named after the poet in Stevie Nicks' heart," the blonde teased, paraphrasing the lyrics Santana instantly recognized.

Rolling her eyes at the woman's response, she breathed out an exaggerated sigh and grumbled, "Great, we named our kids after Fleetwood Mac and Amy Winehouse references. We're _those_ kinds of parents."

"Well, I hate to break it to you, San, but they were both your ideas."

Shooting her a disbelieving look, Santana exclaimed, "No frigging way! I'm calling bullshit."

"It's the truth, I swear! And no, we are not going to change our daughters names so stop looking at me like that," Brittany refuted, already knowing Santana's train of thought. Giving the other woman's thigh a gentle tap, she added, "Now, get your cute little confused tush out of bed before the kids get bored and try to make breakfast by themselves."

Noticing the blonde pushing herself off the bed, Santana abruptly called out, "Wait!" and waited while the blonde spun back around to glance at her with an inquisitive expression.

"Yeah, San?"

For what felt like the first time ever, Santana allowed herself to go with her heart without overthinking her actions and impulsively pulled the blonde into a kiss. It wasn't the usual kisses she normally pressed for, rough and quick while pushing away the feelings that bloomed within her chest. This one was slow, careful. When they eventually broke apart, she stared up at Brittany for a long time before abruptly slamming her eyes shut and pulling away, the full realization of what she had done hitting her hard and fast. Feeling the regret coursing throughout her being, she pulled her mouth into a grimace and apologetically stammered out, "I'm so sorry. I-I don't know what came over me. I-"

"Hey, hey, don't do that. Don't put up your walls. I understand you have somehow reverted back into the girl you were back in high school, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with you kissing me," Brittany assured, tucking a few strands of Santana's hair behind her ear before bringing her hand down to gently cup the back of the brunette's neck. "I get that you're confused and probably afraid of what this all means, but please don't shut me out. _Please._ "

"O-Okay," Santana willingly conceded with a feeble nod, unable to tell the blonde no.

Suddenly, there was a distinct clanging of pots and pans hitting tiled floor downstairs followed by a loud, "Uh-oh!"

Taking a moment to gather herself, Brittany released a calming sigh before glancing over to the other woman with a small smile. "I guess that's our cue to go check on the kids and make sure they're okay. Come on, San," she jokingly groaned as she held out her hand to help Santana up so they could go survey the mess the children had made.

Thankfully, the kitchen was still mostly intact by the time they arrived, with only a few of the pots and pans that had previously been laid out on a drying rack now scattered across the floor. After sternly talking to them about the dangers of climbing on top of the counters, the two women took turns pouring the kids a bowl of cereal while Brittany filled Santana in on the trip they were all supposed to be taking to the local park that day.

Santana agreed to the plan willingly, though she was growing increasingly confused as to how she had ended up in this parallel universe as the morning went on. In the end, however, she figured that she would make sense of it all when the time came and just focus on enjoying the life she had always wanted for as long as she possibly could. And so it was settled. The pair each helped Valarie and Sara into their winter gear before slipping on their own coats and accessories, Brittany dipping down to give Santana a small peck on the nose as she helped the brunette wrap her scarf securely around her neck before asking, "Ready to go?"

"As ready as I'll every be," Santana replied, though the answer was on more levels than Brittany probably picked up on. It was as if all her wildest dreams had come true. She was going out into the world with her family, the one she had always dreamed about having with the woman currently staring at her with the biggest heart-eyes she'd ever seen.

"Alight, let's head out, then," Brittany beamed before turning to sprint towards the door, yelling over her shoulder, "Last one to the car is a rotten egg!"

They reached their destination just short of ten minutes, and as soon as the large SUV was parked, Brittany and Santana helped the kids get out of their seats so they could take off towards the nearest swing set. Santana was still following their small forms with the utmost dedication, making sure they reached their destination safely, when she felt mitted fingers slip their way between hers. Shifting her focus, she spotted Brittany standing beside her with her gaze trained on the girls.

"Don't worry, I've got my eye on them. Now, let's go sit down and cuddle up for warmth," Brittany teased with a grin before leading Santana over to the nearest bench to take a seat.

Brittany instantly slipped her arm across the back of the bench, wrapping it comfortably around Santana's shoulders like it was the most natural thing in the world. Feeling completely at ease in Brittany's hold, Santana allowed herself to melt into the woman a little more and rest her head on Brittany's shoulder as she murmured out a soft, "I love you."

"Love you, too, San. So much," Brittany instantly whispered back in response as she traced her thumb up and down the side of Santana's bicep.

Looking up at the blonde, Santana felt herself involuntarily gravitating towards her lips for yet another kiss, but she was suddenly interrupted by the sound of two children singsonging, "Mama and Mami kissing in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

The women each pull apart to glance at Sara and Val before looking back at one another, having a short, silent conversation only they understood.

"First comes love!"

"One," Brittany quietly counted aloud without breaking eye contact.

"Then comes marriage!"

"Two," Santana whispered back, a subtle smirk pulling at her lips.

"Then comes-"

"THREE!" they both cried out in unison as the pushed themselves up off the bench and start sprinting towards the two girls, who were frozen in shock before quickly dashing away from their mothers. The small family continued to run around into the late afternoon, and when everyone was too exhausted to play anymore, they crawled back into the car with tired limbs so they could head home for a relaxing night in.

In bed later on that night, Santana laid curled into Brittany's side, their legs tangled together as Brittany gently combed her fingers through silky brown hair. Valarie and Sara had been long since tucked away in their beds and were fast asleep. The entire house was silent, but Santana's mind was alive at work.

"I assume you've already figured out that this is all just a dream," Brittany announced, voicing the thoughts that were already floating around in the brunette's head.

"Yeah, I figured it out during dinner," Santana quietly answered as she rolled the string of Brittany's hooded sweatshirt between her fingertips. "But why did you even play along if you knew from the start?"

"Santana, _you_ are the creator of this world," Brittany reluctantly informed as she held onto Santana a little tighter. "This is the future you want more than anything for yourself. I'm just here to help you realize it."

Releasing a long, dejected sigh, Santana allowed her body to sink further into the blonde as she confessed, "I just wish this was the real deal."

"You'll have it, Santana. One day. You just need to wake up first."

Suddenly, everything around the brunette started to fade away, all dissolving into nothingness before revealing a tiny light at the end of a long dark tunnel. "No, wait! I-I'm not ready for this to end yet. I'm not ready to go back to real life," Santana protested as she fought to cling to the universe her mind had created, but it was already too late. The light continued to grow in vibrancy until it completely consumed her in a bright flash.

* * *

Waking from dreams that felt real was always a little disorienting for Santana, who had to take a few minutes to recalibrate her brain so she could differentiate between fantasy and reality.

Rolling over on her side, she found Brittany still there, sleeping soundly beside her and scooted herself over to close the distance between them. Santana then pulled Brittany's arm around her waist as she curled into her friend's body, causing the slumbering girl to become a little more alert.

"San? Santana, what are you-?" Brittany started before stopping herself mid-sentence as she felt Santana press her face more firmly against her chest. Timidly adjusting her arm to hold Santana a little more securely, she gently traced the pads of her thumbs across the fabric of the brunette's nightshirt, too afraid that she'd scare her away if she were to hug her fully. "What's the matter? Did something happen?"

"No, everything is fine. I just-" Santana paused as she searched for the right words with a barely there smile, appreciating how Brittany always seemed to put her well-being first. "I just really need to be close to you right now. Is it okay if we just lay like this for a little while? "

"Y-Yeah, of course," Brittany answered nervously with her own small grin as she wrapped her other arm around the girl's waist and held her close.

"Okay, thanks," Santana replied in a quiet tone, pausing momentarily before adding, "I love you, Britt. Even when it might seem like I don't."

"I know you do, Santana, and I love you, too," the blonde admitted as she buried her face into her hair and breathed out a contented sigh. "Always."

* * *

 _Fifteen Years Later_

"Come on, San. We still need to drop the kids off at school before heading out," Brittany told her wife as she slipped on a pair of shoes, her eyes too focused on what she was doing to see the woman walk into the room.

"Calm down, Babe. We're still running on time. By the way, we can't forget to remind them that their Aunt Streisand will be picking them up this afternoon."

"That's next on my to-do list. You already brought their bags to Rachel's house, right?"

"Yeah, but are you sure they can't go to Kurt and Blaine's place? I'm sure it's not too late to call them."

"Babe, you do remember we share a wedding anniversary, right?" Brittany questioned with a quirked brow, causing Santana instantly slapped a hand to her forehead.

"Oh, God! Sorry, I've just been trying really, really hard to suppress the memory of us sharing our wedding with them for all these years, and it looks like it _finally_ worked." Shooting the blonde a look, she added, "You know, you are so lucky I let you talk me into playing along with that little stunt."

"What?" Brittany asked with a knowing smirk, shrugging her shoulders in fake defense. "We needed someone to pass off all our bad luck to after you saw me before the ceremony, and they were an easy target."

"Yeah, sure, Babe. Whatever you say," the brunette teased. "So since the Hummel-Andersons aren't a viable option, how about a weekend-long slumber party at their Aunt Mercedes' big, fancy condo? They love it over there!"

"San, we've already been over this. She's still out on tour."

"Damn it, you're right," Santana groaned in response as she rubbed her eyes in frustration. "I just-Are you absolutely sure it's okay to be letting our young, impressionable children be subjected to Rachel Berry's _Berry_ -ness? I mean, think about all the possible side-effects, like constantly listening to Barbra's Greatest Hits album on repeat or developing a strange obsession with gold stars." She watched as Brittany roll her eyes at her concerns, a small smirk tugging at the woman's lips that caused Santana to playfully whine, "Babe, don't laugh at me. I'm being serious."

"Sure you are. I _totally_ believe you." Brittany retorted, seeing right through Santana's act. The blonde then turned to walk out the door, only to have Santana pull her back by the scarf.

Staring up into her wife's loving gaze, Santana leaned up on the tips of her toes to press a gentle kiss to the woman's lips before allowing the heels of her feet to touch the ground once more, whispering, "I love you, Britt-Britt. So much."

"I love you, too, Santana. Happy Ten Years!"

"Happy Ten Years!"

* * *

 _Author's Note:_

 _I have absolutely no clue how I survived writing this. This fic was seriously feels overload for me the entire time, and I just hope that all transferred well as I wrote it. Anyways, this is probably the rudest thing I have ever written in my entire life, and I am so sorry for that fact. Haha. Hope you all enjoyed it, and I will see you next time!_


End file.
